"FUNKING" THE AMY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 292, 29 August 1918, Page 7

"FUNKING" THE AMY

SIX MEN DECAMP FROM THE DOMINION

SENT TO GAOL FOR THREE MONTHS

Six stalwart young mcu appeared before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M.. at the Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of having left Now Zealand by tho steamer Manuka on August 17 without a permit to do so, and with having stowed away on tho vessel. Tho names and ages of tho defendants, who pleaded guilty to both charecs, were as follow: —Jeremiah Courtnay (24), Bernard Bradley (27), .Michael O'Conuor (35), Thomas Peter Preudergast (26), William Albert Collins (30). and Patrick Toohey (26). The men appeared in court without coats, being only in their shirt sleeves, and they wore no hats. Inspector Marsack said the men stowed away on the Manuka on her last trip to Sydney. Each of the defendants was "wanted" by tha military authorities. The men had a considerable amount of money amongst them, and the Union Steam Ship Company desired to obtain the value of the fare in each case. The suggestion was that tho defendants cleared out of New Zeala.ii to "funk" military service. Two of the men had been ill camp. The defendants offered no explanation as to their conduct. "I am sorry to seo you here, for you aro a sturdy looking crowd, from which cne would expect something better," remarked Mr. Frazer to the defendants. For the offence of leaving New Zealand without a permit, each of tho defendants was sentenced to thrse months' hard labour, and on tho charge of stowing away on the Manuka each was ordered to pay tho amount of the fare, £0. in default a further month's imprisonment.

Michael O'Connor was then charged with having failed to enrol in the Expeditionary Foreo Reserve. Ho plend?d guilty.

"There,is no need to imposo any further penalty now that ho is liere and everybody knows about him," said Mr. Frazer. "For that offenca lm will bo convicted and discharged."